More ground clearance

EDieter · Post by **EDieter** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 11:44 am

Ok, so this is my problem, obviously buying a lowered car in upstate new york was a huge mistake... I've lived here my entire life I have no idea why I didnt think of this. But anyways come winter, I need more ground clearence otherwise I would be my own snowplow pretty much. What is the CHEAPEST way to increase ground clearence. I've read that srt4 struts are a good idea, will they fit on a 2002 dodge neon sxt? ANy other ideas?

zhneon · Post by **zhneon** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 11:52 am

Get a set of stock struts and springs to swap out for the winter. There are a few for sale right now on the board.
You can use any struts/springs from 00-05, base, srt, it doesn't matter for fitment. Srt suspension will change the ride height, however.

EDieter · Post by **EDieter** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 11:53 am

actually... i may jsut be dumb but i dont need new struts do it? i just need springs that arn't "lowering spring" correct? then again I may very well be dumb

zhneon · Post by **zhneon** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 11:57 am

No you don't need new struts at all. If you wanted, you could just swap the springs every season. But I think it would be easier to just have two sets of spring/strut combos. Then you could just swap them out, no need for a spring compressor.
That is unless you are just raising it permanently. In that case its pretty simple just get some stock springs.

Post by **racer12306** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 12:02 pm

There aren't any "lifting" spring for a Neon. The highest you will get your car without going with a coilover setup is to get a set of SRT struts with SXT springs. That should lift the car about 3/4" higher than stock.

EDieter · Post by **EDieter** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 12:05 pm

I'm not trying to get it higher than stock, I'm trying to get it back closer to stock without buying all new parts. I guess I didn't realize that I could just replace the springs and be fine, the guy I bought the car from (judging from all his other ingenious mods) probably just put lowering springs on without changing any thing else from stock.

Post by **occasional demons** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 12:16 pm

Four new springs, and an alignment. You should be good to go. Just know this: Depending on the quality of the springs removed, your cornering is going to suck, compared to lowered springs. You may need to upgrade your sway bar(s) to get some handling back. And even then it will not be as good. I will never go back to stock height after experiencing the change in handling.

This is not to argue which is better, more so you know to take the turns a little slower, until you are familiar with it. Or you may be plowing the ditches, even when there is no snow to plow.

EDieter · Post by **EDieter** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 12:21 pm

Haha ok sweet sounds good to me, I don't think i will be going to fast or anything anyways in this horrible upstate weather but I appreciate the info. when summer comes around Ill go back to ym lowering springs with new struts that can support them better. One more quick question, whats the deal with coil over kits? will that be as low as lowering springs? I know the ride quality sucks, but other than that whats teh difference between coil over ktis and lowering springs?

sidepipe87 · Post by **sidepipe87** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 12:25 pm

SRT struts and SXT springs will give you a mild lift. I'm running that setup on my red car with stock 15" snowflakes and I think I could live in the wheel gap. My brother is jealous of how 4x4 it is.

By "coilover kits" I'm assuming you mean eBay style coiover sleeves since you mentioned "as CHEAP as possible" above. Yes, you get what you pay for there. Basically 4 springs with unknown spring rates on a threaded sleeve with an adjustable perch that slips over the stock strut. Lower them all the way and depending on the spring height it should be pretty low and will ride and handle like complete crap.

Real coilovers such as BC, Megan, Mopar, KW, Tein, Eibach, KSpor, IPP etc will be much stiffer than springs but are not unbearable but will corner like you're on rails. Performance is give and take. So you lose some comfort to gain handling. You have to weigh if the positive outweighs the negative for your needs and cost is a huge factor too. I love my Megan coilovers.

EDieter · Post by **EDieter** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 12:38 pm

Maybe next year I will put the money into getting some srt4 struts and by sxt springs for the winter. Right now I'm not looking to spend much at all for this. I'm assuming you mean like oem sxt springs? I appreciate all the info you guys have given me. And Im glad yall responded as fast as yall did.

Post by **occasional demons** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 12:42 pm

Yep, oem stock type replacement springs.

EDieter · Post by **EDieter** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 12:48 pm

Ok thanks again for all the info.

sidepipe87 · Post by **sidepipe87** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 12:57 pm

I'd sell you my oem SXT springs dirt cheap, but I ended up swapping them on to my 00 since they had less miles on them and scrapped the 00 ones

I'd think you could find some for like $25 + shipping if someone wants to get rid of them. They aren't valuable...

Post by **occasional demons** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 2:59 pm

New from the dealer, you are looking at an average of $200 plus tax. for all four.

EDieter · Post by **EDieter** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 3:43 pm

i found some brand new for 160 all four shipped. I'll install them myself can't be that hard, besides I don't want to go through the hassle of finding a place that actually can put ym car on a lift... such a pain. Just gotta find someone around me with a low profile jack

sidepipe87 · Post by **sidepipe87** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 3:56 pm

occasional demons wrote:New from the dealer, you are looking at an average of $200 plus tax. for all four.

I meant people won't pay much for them. Usually people have them leftover when they lower and rarely have a use for them and have a hard time selling them.

Post by **racer12306** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 4:42 pm

$160 for OEM SXT springs is a major rip off.

Like Ryan said, they aren't worth anything to most people. The exception is collision repair shops.

EDieter · Post by **EDieter** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 7:25 pm

Ill look around then

Post by **occasional demons** » Tue Oct 19, 2010 12:05 am

sidepipe87 wrote:
occasional demons wrote:New from the dealer, you are looking at an average of $200 plus tax. for all four.
I meant people won't pay much for them. Usually people have them leftover when they lower and rarely have a use for them and have a hard time selling them.

It wasn't meant to imply that you were saying they were that cheap new, I just threw that in for new prices. Just for comparison.

But like you said, they can be had dirt cheap used. But shipping might be a factor in the total price.